Ways to say it
| Iraqi Arabic | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| اسكت | uskut | |
| بس حچي | bas hachi | enough talk |
| خرس | ikhras | harsher |
بس حچي (bas hachi), 'enough talk', is a milder, more conversational way to ask someone to stop talking. خرس (ikhras) is sharper and sounds like a real command, best avoided unless you mean to be blunt.
What does it mean word for word?
اسكت comes from the verb 'to be silent'. حچي is the distinctly Iraqi word for 'talk' or 'speech', used in place of the Standard Arabic كلام. خرس literally means 'to become mute'.
Which one should you use?
اسكت is a direct but fairly ordinary command, usable with children or in a heated moment without being too harsh. بس حچي softens the request into something closer to 'enough already'. خرس is rude and should be used carefully.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
None of these are polite phrases. اسكت is blunt but common, while خرس is genuinely harsh and can offend.
Is it said differently in some regions?
حچي for 'talk' is one of the clearest hallmarks of Iraqi Arabic, setting it apart from Levantine كلام or Gulf كلام as well.
How does it change in a sentence?
اسكت changes to اسكتي when speaking to a woman and اسكتوا to a group.
How do you pronounce it?
The ح in حچي is a breathy throat sound, and the چ is the ch sound, together giving the word its distinct Iraqi texture.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Using خرس casually with a friend as a joke, the way some languages use harsh words playfully, can still land as genuinely rude in Iraqi Arabic. Context and tone matter.
When do people say it?
Iraqi households vary widely in how bluntly family members speak to each other, so اسكت among siblings can be ordinary while the same word to a stranger would be unusually rude.
Did you know?
- حچي, the Iraqi word for 'talk', replaces Standard Arabic كلام so thoroughly that Iraqis use it in dozens of everyday expressions about speech.
- Iraqi households differ widely in how bluntly siblings speak to each other, so a phrase like اسكت can sound ordinary at home yet rude to a stranger.
Examples in context
- اسكت شوي، أبي أفكر.uskut shwayy, abi afakkir.Be quiet for a bit, I want to think.
- بس حچي، خلنا نشوف الفلم.bas hachi, khallina nshuf il-film.Enough talking, let's watch the film.
- خرس، ما أبي أسمع صوتك.ikhras, ma abi asma' sotak.Shut up, I don't want to hear your voice.
Example conversation
Two brothers, Ali and Yusuf, argue over the remote control at home.
- Aliبس حچي، أبي أسمع الأخبار.bas hachi, abi asma' il-akhbar.Enough talking, I want to hear the news.
- Yusufلا، اسكت انت، دوري على القناة.la, uskut inta, dawwir ala il-qanat.No, you be quiet, it's my turn to pick the channel.
- Aliما تسكت لحظة؟ma tuskut lahdha?Can't you be quiet for a moment?
- Yusufزين زين، بس حچي أنا كمان.zein zein, bas hachi ana kaman.Fine, fine, enough from me too.
